BELGIUM: Gains for the Socialists

More than 5,000,000 Belgians went to the
polls last week (voting is compulsory) for the first national election
in four years. Premier Jean Van Houtte's Social Christian (Catholic)
Party, which has had a slim parliamentary majority, emerged from the
election still the largest party, but it lost so many seats that Van
Houtte submitted his resignation. King Baudouin asked him to stay on a
while as caretaker. Biggest gainer: Paul-Henri Spaak's Socialists. A
coalition government with Socialist participation is certain, but
whether the Socialists team up with the Social Christians or with the
third-place Liberals is still to be...